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Application for proposed transaction:

The Commission has received an application for approval of a proposed transaction from the following: Unified Western Grocers, Inc. (Unified). The application concerns the December 2000 FTC consent order regarding the merger of Albertson's, Inc. and American Stores Company, which required the divestiture of 144 supermarkets nationwide. Pursuant to Paragraph VI B. of the order, Unified, formerly Certified Grocers of California, Ltd., has applied for FTC approval to sell SavMax Store No. 311, currently operating under the SavMax trade name, located at 20801 Bear Valley Road, Apple Valley, California to Ralphs Grocery Company. This store was previously operated as Albertson's Store No. 1609 before it was divested to SavMax.

The Commission is seeking public comment on the proposed transaction until August 21, 2001. Comments should be submitted to: Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. Unified has, however, requested that the comment period either be shortened or eliminated. Accordingly, if the Commission approves this request, the date until which public comments are accepted may change. (FTC Docket No. C- 3986; staff contact is Daniel P. Ducore, 202-326-2526; see press release dated June 22, 1999.)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC's Web site at and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint, or to get free information on any of 150 consumer topics, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at . The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.